Combination step and extension ladder



June 5, 1928., 1,672,020

l F. BRUGNER COMBINATION STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER Filed Feb. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 5.

lnvenor.

Frederick fugner bYJM FW `lune 5, 1928.

F. BRUGNER COMBINATION STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER Filed F@b.12, 1927 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fredermk Brugner byHL/w( ATTys.

Patented June 5, 1928.

` omino STATES PATIENT oil-"Elon FREDERICK BEUGNER, or SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIeNoR or SNE-HALF A mo CAROLINA Ravenne, or SoUmHsvBoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINAUON'STEP AND EXTENSIONLADDER.

Y Application med 'February 12.1927. Sorialfno. $7,725.

'This invention 'relates to zacombination Step and extension ladder, that is, toa ladder structure which is convertible finto either a step ladder or an extension ladder.

One of the features et the invention relates to the manner of connecting the 'two ladder sections which permits them-Tte trunc-l tioneither -as a'step 'ladder or as V'an extension ladder. y' I I f Another feature of the invention fis a'novel construction by lwhichthe ladder Structurev In order to giveQan understanding 'of the invention I have lillustrated in the drawings a Selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which'the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. l is aside View of a ladder structure embodying my invention showing it in full lines in the form of a step ladder andshowing in dotted lines one of the ladder sections arranged as'it would be when the device is an extension ladder;

Fig. 2 is a view showing a. device in thel form of an extension ladder;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofian additional ladder section which may be employed when the device is functioning as an ,extension ladder;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the upper `portion of the ladder structure when it is functioning as a Step ladder;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5, Fig'. d;

Fig. 6 is a view of the ladderzstructure showing it in use as a treSt-le; n

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional viewsshowing details of the tres'tle'etructure; f 4

, Fig, 9 shows the ladder arranged as an extension` stepladder and usedvon a flight of stairs; n y l y .y

Fig, 10 is an enlarged section on theline iol-'10. Fig. 2; Y y y Figi'll. shows another adaptation of the? inventin for use on a' flight of stairs;l

"side of the cross-piece 5.

I Fig. 12 is fa perspective portion off'the'f'l'adder'; y

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the means for supporting the upper ladder section when the ladder is being used as an extension 'ladder'.

' My-improved ladderjcom'prises twpjladp' der-Sections land 2. Theladderfseetion 1v 1s shown as having treads 3 and 'the ladder section 2 is con'str'l'cted to be used "either as a brace for the ladder Section 1 when the device is" functioning as a. step ladder as Shown in Fig. 14 or as 'an extension Section when the `device'is used as fan extension lad-- der.

Tho ladder section 1 comprises 'shotgun Sides 4 Which are connected vby the treads 3 and at the yoppor odd 'Said soononed are connected by' a crossipiece 5 which 'is frig- .idly securedvto the two Sections. This ci-OSS- piece has hingedV thereto la top ftred'ihernber 6, said treddmorhber boing soouod to the eross-pieceA 5 by means of the hingesy 7. When t-he tread member is inoperative po'- Sition lit rests on the 'upper ends B ofthe View of the foot y' sides 4 and it is Shown as detachabl'y retained in this position Lbiv o hook 9 oonhetod to the under Sido of the top Ytread e and adapted ,to hook into 'ajh eye 10 on meteor lThe ladder Asootir'm ais' foado with two 'sidopiooo's 11 I,whit-h are connected byr'onds 1-2. The sections 1 and2 are 'connected et their 'upper ends by d novel modos' so as to permit them to u'nctin either 'its e tp adder or as an extension ladder'. f

AEach side 4 of the' ladder Sectio-h 1` Hee 'Secured thereto and extending laterally therefrom an drm 13, oooh arm 13 terminating in an inwardly-directed' flange 14 that ovorlies ono of the Sides 11 of the Hidde" section 2. Eaehangeii is Spc'izilly Shaped; it having the lower port-ienV '15j which eop'erate's" withthe corresponding Side 1.1 of the. ladder .Seddon 2 when the ladder is; fono'- tioning as a Step" ladder andthe upper portion 16 whichpcogoperates with the" Side 11 ofthe ladder 2 when the ladder" is' converted los round 17 of the ladder section 2 eXtends beyond the sides 11 as shown at 18 and the extended ends 18 are adapted to resten the arms 13 when the ladder is functioning as a step ladder. vThe upper end of the sides 11 are bevelled or cut away as shown at 19 and are adapted to'rest against the crosspiece 5. lhen the ladder is converted into a step ladder', therefore, the sides 11 are engaging the portions 15 vot the iianges 14, the end of the sides are resting against the cross-piece 5 as shown at 19, and the ends 18 of the upper roundsl are resting on the arms 13. This makes a very rigid and strongly braced structure.A Each side 4 ofthe ladder section 1 is provided with a hook-shaped brace member 2() which is pivoted to the ladder section 1 at 21 and is adapted to hook into'an eye 22 carried by the side of the ladder section 2 thereby to .maintain the ladder sections in their step 'ladder position. Y y To lconvert the step ladder into an eX- tension vladder the brace hoolrs 2O are disconnected tromvthe ladder section 2 and the lowerend oi said ladder section 2 is then swung toward the ladder section 1, the eX- tensions 18 of the rounds 17 'forming a sort of trunnion or pivot on which the yladder section 2 swings. This swinging movement will carry the upperfend. of the ladder section 2 out trom under the upper tread 6 and ,bring the sides 11 ot said ladder section 2 vagainst the portion-s 16 of the iiange 14.

The ladder section 2 is then in parallel rela.- tion to the ladder section 1 and can be moved upwardly on the ladder section 1 as shown by dotted lines Fig. Lor by full lines Fig. 2.

The lower end or the ladder section 2 has a supporting member 23 connected thereto by which it may be detachably connected to any of the treads 3 ofthe ladder section 1. This member 23 comprises Itwo connected arms 24. which are pivotally mounted on the lower round 12. Each arm 24 has the straight rest port-ion 25-which is adapted to lie flatly on one of the treads 3 as shown in Figs. .2 and 13, the exterior of each straightportion being bent downwardlyv to overlie the front edge of the tread. The ladder section 2 may `be extended more or less as desired and the..simpoitinglr member 23 may be hooked over any one of the treadsl 3of the ladder section 1.

When theladder is thus converted intol an extension ladder the ladder section 2 is iheld` in proper position relative tothe upper endort the ladder section 1 bythe portion 16 of the flange 14, said portion 16 forming a shoe or guideon which the ladder section 2 vmaymove.' p

v,The supporting member 23 holds the lower portion of the ladder section 2 in proper relationto the ladder section 1. As an additional means o't' security each o'l side sections 4 of the ladder section 1 has an ear 26 l secured thereto and extending therefrom which is provided with an aperture 27.`

These ears are situated on the outside of the sides i the ladder section 2 when the two ladder sections are arranged as an eX-v tension ladder. A retaining pin 28 is adapted to be inserted through the apertures 27 underneath the sides of the ladder section 2. and said pin thus acts as an additional means for holding the ladder sections in 29 is slightly narrower than the ladder section 2 so that the sides of the ladder section 29 rest between the sides 11 ot the ladder sectionl 2. This ladder section 29 is'provided with hooks or clips30 adapted to hook over certain of the rounds 12 of the ladder section 2 as shown in Fig. 2.

The ladder may also be used as a trestle. For this purpose the ladder sections 1 and 2 are adiusted to `form, a step ladder and the ladder section 29 is 'supported bythe step ladder in an upright posit-ion.

-31 indicates a supporting board which is adapted to rest on one oit'l the treads 3 ot vthe ladder section 1 and vone of-.the rounds 12 oli` the ladder section 2. This support-innr board 31 has clips or hooks v32 at one A'end which embrace the tread 3,` The board is 'making a longer ladder. The ladder section also provided on each side with a notch 33 side oit the ladder section29 prevents the i ladder section from swinging to the left. lVhen supported as shown in Fig. 6,'therefore, the laddcrjsection29 will beheld `firmly in upright position and vmay be usedias a trestle. l i

qWhen said ladder is tobe used on aliiight of stairs as shown in Fig. 9 the upper tread section 6 is unlocked and swunginto the dotted'line position Fig. 4c, the bracing hofolivs 20 are disconnected from theV ladder section 2 and the lower end ofthe ladder section is then swung toward the ladder section 1 sufficiently to free the upper ends of the sides 11 trom the cross piece 5. 1 TWhen this is done the ladder section 2 may bemcved llU upwardly into a position such as Ashown in Fig. 8. It is held in this position by means of an auxiliary brace member 34 whichy is pivoted to the ladder section l at` 35. The free end of the brace member 4 is provided with an eye 36 and it is connected to the ladder section l by the pin 28, the ladder being withdrawn from the ears 26 and inserted through apertures formed in the lower end of the sides 11 of the ladder 'section 2, If desired, the ladder section 29 may be secured to the upper end of the ladder section 2 when it is thus adjusted for use on stairs thus increasing the length of the ladder? l I have shown the lower ends of the ladder sections l and 2 as having feet or rests detachably secured thereto. prises a base member 37 and two socket members 38, each socket member adapted to receive the low-er end of a side of the ladder section. The socket members 38 have enclosing walls which surround the lower `ends of the sides of the ladder section. Each socket member, therefore,` is open at the top but is enclosed on the sides and bottom. The ladder sides are locked in the socket members by means of a rod 39l which eX- tends transversely through the apertures in the side walls of the socket members and through apertures in the ladder sides. The same construction may be used on both the ladder sections l and 2.

In Fig. 1l I have shown the ladderas adapted for use on stairs as a step ladder only. In this embodiment the ladder section 1 is held in its desired inclined position' by a brace member 40 which is connected to the ladder section l in the same Each rest coml way asshown in Fig. 4 but is shorter than the ladder section 2.

I claim:

and the other 'of which functions as a brace .for the first-named section, a supporting board removably supported by said ladder' sections, said board 'having notches, and an additional ladder section adapted to be inserted between the sides of the ladder section functioning as a brace member, with its lower end resting on the board and its sides engaging said notches,'said,additional ladder `section ybeing braced in one direction by engagement with the uppertread of one ladder section and a round of the other ladder section, and means associated with said support to brace the additional ladder section against movement in the other direction.

2. 'A convertible step ladder comprising two ladder sections of which onefunctions walls of the socket members and through the ladder section thereby to lock the socket members to the section.

In testimony whereof, I hhave signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK BRUGNER.

as a brace forthe other, land a foot member 

